Illuminating aero-bomb



S. WILEY, JR. ILLUMINATING A ERO BOMB. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26. IsIg.

Pafented OCI.l 21, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

if/y mmm S. WILEY, Jn. ILLUMJNATING A'ERO BOMB. APPLICATION man MAR. 26, |919.

Patented Oct. 21', 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SAMUEIf WILE Y, JR., OF METUCHEN, JERSEY.

ILLUMINATING AERO-30MB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oet. 21, 1919.

Application led March 26, 19.19. Serial No. 285,238.

To all whom t may concern: i

Be it known that I, SAMUEL WILEY, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Metuchen, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminating Aerombs; and I do hereby declare tion of the arrows.

the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use`the same.

My present invention relates to illuminating bombs intendedto be dropped from aircraft, and it is intended to provide a bomb Which may be safely carried and dropped when desired, and which will fall slowly through the air and which will operate after a predetermined time interval, and in falling will illuminate the ground and other objects beneath the bomb.

The invention is not only intended for use Y in illuminating hostileteri'itory, troops, etc., but is also'especi'ally adapted for use in making night landings by aircraft on peaceful mlssions, such as the landing of hydroplanes in' harbors, the landing of aeroplanes onv the ground, and in general the brilliant illumi- 4 nation of considerable area of the land or water used for shipping, building or other structures.

yrMy invention will be more'fully understood after reference to the accompanyingv drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which 1 Figure 1 shows 4a complete apparatus in compact form, but on a small scale.

Fig. 2 shows the apparatus shortly after it is dropped, and on the same scale as in ig.l1.

Fig. 3 shows a section through the complete apparatus along the broken line 3 3 vof Fig. 5, and looking in the direction of the arrows,v the parts being on a larger scale, than in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 showsa section along the line 1--4 of Fig. 3, and looking down.

Fig. 5 shows a section along the line 5--6 of Fig. 3, and looking down,-with the parts in the safety position. A p Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig.5, but shows the parts in the armed position.

Fig. 7 shows a sectlon ,along 'the line 7;-#7

of Fig. 3,.and looking down. t

Fig. 8 shows a section along the line 8-8 `of Fig. 6, but with the trigger released.

Fig. 9 is a plan .view of the ring to which the parachute cords are attached.

- Fig. 10 is an edge view of the device shfwn in Fig. 9, parts being broken away;4 60 an Fig. 11 shows a section along the line 11-11 of Fig. 9, andlooking in the direclof the screws a.

The casing may be made of steel lor other material, such. as brass, aluminum, or the like, and is provided near its upper end with ajseries of perforations a", arranged close together so' `that when the hot gases-A from the illuminating 4composition pass through the same, the walls between the perforations will be fused' and the closed end of the candle will drop off, e losing the illuminating `composition in a hig ly incandescent state. These perforations are normally closed` in any suitable way, as lby means ofthe annular strip a.

Secured in the upper end of the casing A, as by means of the screwsl a', ,is the fuse stock D in the form of a hollow cylindrical cup, vfitting snugly and closing the u'pper end of the casing, in which cup the rotary cap E is mounted.

This cap is provided with an annular groove e adapted to engage the pins 1L/which project into said groove, and thus hold the l cap in place against longitudinal movement, but permit it to be rotated 'within the 100 stock D.

The Irotary capis provided with a series of notches e', corresponding to the length of the .burning time train hereinafter to be described, and shownas graduated for live, l108 ten and fifteen 'sec0nds, as shown in Figs. 5 6 and' 7. The rotation of the c'ap is stopped at the desired position by means of the ball G mounted in the recess in the fuse stock D, and pressed inwardly by the spring g, as shown in Figs- 3, 7 and `8.

This ball will permit the rotary cap to be turned by twisting the handle K, but will normally hold the rotary cap E in the position at which the time'train is set.

in the groove do in the upper inner edge of `the yfuse stock D is the seg. mental vtime train F, one end of which terminates in the segment d2 of the fuse stock,

' see Figs.,5 and, and the other end is connected to the vertical passage f communi-f eating withI thei ition charge f above 'the disk f2, of para n paper orother suitable Y material, which serves to'hold the ignition plunger.

charge in place as shown in Figs.4 l, 3 and 8.

The rotary capl Eis provided with a down- The primer y' yis carried by the plunger H,

which is normally pressed downward by the spring 'I engaging the shoulder z, bn said This plunger is provided with a chamber- J containing powder which is ignited by the primer 7' when the same is exploded. 'This plunger H is connected to the Vhandle K in any convenient way, as by means of the rib it', see Fig.y 8, which is pear-shaped inl cross section and engages a notch le in the stem '7a o-f the handle, which stem projects down into a guide groove in the stem 2 of the rotary cap E. This stem is provided with a spline rib 7c3 en aging in the spline groove e3 in the stem of t e rotary cap E. f l

0n -its opposite side, the rib 71," engages the notch c in the arm K', which is hinged tothe handle as at 7a2. This arm is preventedfrom becoming disengaged fromthe rib It because it isheld in pla-ce in the stem E2 of the rotary cap; but if the handle bepulled'- out farv enough Aagainst/'the action of the spring yIv the handle may be released lfrom Y engagement with the plunger H, and this oc- .curs vwhen therbombvis dropped. E3 are guides on the cap E for the plunger j H, and k2 are guide pins carried bythe plunger itself.

f 4 The handle K provided with an'annular-flange 7a4 which brings up against the outer face of the stem E2 when the parts are 1n the firing position shownin Fig. 8, and

-the stem E2 is provided with an annularl `groove e4 adapted to engage the claw im of the 'trigger piece M, whichI is pivoted in the handle as at fm," and is provided with a trigger arm 'm'. This trigger is normally pressed into the engaging position by the leaf spring N, and the parts are held in the safety position by means cfa safety pin 0,

which passes through the holes 705 in the handle m2 in the trigger piece, as jshown in Figsl3 and 8;

-To operate the device when wanted for use, turn ,the handle until' the indicating hand E points to the desired time, then pull out the safety pin O and hold the casing supported by the handle over the side of the aircraft, then pull the trigger M to the position shown in Fig. 8; this releases the bomb from the handle, Iand in doing so will pull the plunger to the firing position; and the partingA of the handle from the bomb will cause the Iplunger to strike and ire the cap j.f Thus the fuse is really selfcocking, and absolutely safe to handle. Thel handle of. the'bomb remains in the operators hand.

Projecting up through the inflammable composition C is a tube P, filled with quick burning powder p, which powder is also filled into the passage p and into the annular chamber pZ-linthe plug B. This plug is provided with a chamber B on the opposite side from the illuminatingcomposition, as shown in Fig. 3(

Q represents the parachute, which is` shown as folded up in Figs 1 and 3, and as expanded in Fig. 2. This parachute is connected by thecords g to the ring R, which is provided with passages fr on either side of the rounded webs 9', as shown in Fig. 10,

so that a continuous cord q may be used,

shown vin Fig. 3, and between the plugs S' and V the cable U is mounted, the ends bein g secured to the buttons u, as shown in Flg. 3, and the body of the cable when Vmounted in the casing being coiled up in the chamber B in the plug B.

The lower end of the outer casing is closed by the movable head W, which is adapted to bereadily blown out of the casing when the parachute is to be'released.

.The operation vof the device is, as follows Suppose the rotaryA cap to be in the safety position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, if when in this position the primer is ignited in any way, the rflar'ne from the primer and from the chamber J will ignite the powder in the passages e and e2, and the ilameand gases will escape through the opening e0 in the pointer ,E0 without igniting the iniiammable composition with the lugd2, as shown in Fig. 5),

until the passage e2 registers with some part of the powder timel train F. This powder train is contained in a fusible tube of lead or the like, or it may be` inclosed in a paper tube, so that when the primer charge explodes and ignites theI charge in the' passages e and e2, the time train will be ignited, and will communicate its flame from .the charge in the passage e2 to the powder in .the powder charge f and the annular charge f', blowing out the disk f2 and igniting the illuminating compositionv C. 1

As soon as the device begins Ato fall through the air, the fuse end being heavier than the parachute end will cause the cas'- ing to tilt and it will quickly assumethe inverted position shown in Fig, 2. After the fuse has burned for the predetermined time, the iame will ignite the powder charges p, p and p2 and will blow out the ring P and also the heads T and W.

' After' the ignition takes place the intense heat of the illuminating composition will cause the gases escaping through the openf ingsa" in the easing tomelt oli what was originally the fuse end of the casing but ,which Lnow becomes the lower'end of the casing, and the lower end of the candle will be exposed and will yield an intensely brilliant light, which will be thrown downward in the form of a cone-thus illuminating a circular 'area on the earth beneath.'

The parachute will cause the candle to sink slowly down through the air, andthe illumination will continue until-the candle has burned out.

It will be noted that the fuse may be set to ignite the candle at any predetermined time interval after .the bombhas been released, so that 'the bomb can pass entirely clear of the aircraft from which it is dropped without any danger of lire or exposion to the aircraft, or to its occupants.

oreover, it will be seen that the device cannot be red when the trigger is in the safety position, with the safety pin engaging the same, nor can the illuminating charge be ignited unless the rotary cap is set for a -webs r.

The cylindrical casing may be made of any suitable metal, preferably of-an alloy mean to limit the invention to such details of construction exceptasl particularly pointed out in the claims,

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. An illuminating areo-bomb comprising a casing, a partition block dividing said casing into a chamber for the' illuminating compound and a parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a parachute in the other, a head `carrying a time fuse closing the end of said first-mentioned chamber, with perforations in said casing near the base of said head to permit the escape of hot gases from the illuminatingy compound when ignited, means for setting said fuse for the desired time interval, Smeans for firing said fuse, and means controlled by said fuse for expelling said parachute and for igniting the illu-minating compound in said illuminating chamber, substantially as described.

2. An illuminating aero-bomb comprising a casing, a partition block dividing said casing into a chamber for the illuminating compound and a parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a parachute yin the other, a cable connecting y said parachute to said partition block, ahead carrying a time fuseclosing the end of said first-mentioned chamber, with perforations inl said casing nearfthe base of said fuse to permit the escape of hot gases from the illuminating compound I when ignited, means for settingsaid fuse for the desired time interval, means for firing sa'id fuse, and means controlled by said fuse for expelling said parachute and for igniting.

" the illuminating compound said illuminating chamber, substantially asdescribed.

3. An illuminating aero-bomb comprising a casin a partition block dividing said casing int a chamber for the illuminating compound'- and a parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a parachute in the other, ahead carrying a time fuse closingthe'end of said firstmentioned chamber, -means forl detaching said head when the illuminating compound is ignited, means for setting said fuse for the desired time interval, means for firing said fuse, and' means controlled. by said fuse for expelling said parachute and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illumil nating chamber, substantially as described.

4. An illuminating aero-bomb comprlsmg a casing, a partition block dividing said casing into a chamber for the illuminating compound and a parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a' parachute in the other, a cable connecting vsaid parachute to said partition block, a head carrying a timefuse closing the end of said iirst-mentioned chamber, means for detachingsaid head When the illuminating compound is ignited, means for setting said fuse for vthe desired 'time interval, means for iring said fuse, and means controlled by said fuse `for expelling said parachute and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminating chamber, subsaid fuse for the desired time interval, a

trigger carried by said handle for firing said fuse, and means controlled by said fuse for expelling said'parac ute and for igniting the illuminatingcompound in said illuminating chamber, substantially as described.

6. An illuminating aero-bomb comprising a cylindrical casing, a partition block ldivid-` ing said casing into a chamber for the, illuminating compound and a parachute cham-v ber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a parachute in the other, a time fuse having its stock closing the end of said first-mentioned chamber, the said casing being provided With a series of closely disposed perforations nea-r the base of said fuse stock, a rotary cap mounted in Said stock and carrying the firing mechanism, a handle secured to said cap for supporting the bomb and for setting said fuse for the desired time interval, a trigger carried by said handle for firing said fuse, and means controlled by said fuse for expelling said parachute and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminating chamber, substantially as described. l

7 An illuminating aero-bomb comprising a cylindrical casing, a partition block dividing said casing into a chamber for the illuminating compound anda parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a arachute in the other,

a cable connecting said parachute With said partition block, a time fuse having its stock vclosing the end of said irst-mentioned chamber, a rotary cap mounted in said stock and carrying the "firing mechanism, a handle secured to said cap for supporting the bomb ,-rber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a arachute in the other,

a cable connecting said parachute with said partition block, a time fuse having its stock closing thel end of said first-mentioned chamber,the `said casing being provided with a series of closely disposed perforations near the base of said fuse stock, Ya rotary cap mounted in said stock and carrying the r- I ing mechanism, a handle secured to said cap for supporting the bomb and for setting said fusefor the'desired time interval, a trigger carried by said handle for firing said fuse, and means controlled by said fuse for lexpelling said parachute and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminating chamber, substantially ,as described.

9. An'illuminating aero-bomb comprising a casing, a 4partition block dividing 'said cas- 95 ing into a chamber for the illuminating compound and a parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a parachute in the other, a head carrying a time fuse closing the end of said rstmentioned chamber, means for detaching said head when the illuminatingcompound is ignited, means for setting said fusefor the desired time interval,'means for firing said fuse, and means for expelling said-parachute and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminating chamber, substantially as described.

l0. An illuminating aero-bomb comprising a casing, a partition block dividing said casing into a chamber for the illuminating compound and a parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in. one of said` chambers and a parachute in the other, a cable connecting said parachute to said partition block, ahead 4carrying a time fuse closing the end of said irst-mentioned chamber, means for detaching said lad when the illuminating compound is ignited, means for setting said fuse for the desired time inter- L ZOj val, means for firing said fuse', and means for expellingsaid parachute and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminatingv chamber, substantially y as described.

11. An illuminating aero-bomb comprising a cylindrical casing, a partition block dividing said casing into a chamber for the illuminatin compound and -a parachute chamber, uminating material carried in 130 I one of said chambers and a parachute in the other, a time fuse having its stock closing the end of said lirst-mentioned chamber, a rotary cap mounted in said stock andl carrying the firing mechanism, `a handle secured tosaid cap forsupporting the bomb and for setting said fuse for the desired time interval, a trigger carried by said handle for firing said fuse, and meansior expelling said parachute and for igniting the illuminating l compound in said illuminating chamber, substantially as described.

y 12. An illuminating aero-bombcomprising a cylindricalcasing, a -partition block dividing said casing into a chamber for the illuminating compound and a parachute chamber, illuminating" material carried on one of said -chambers and a parachute in the other, a time'fuse having its stock closing the endof said first-mentioned chamber, the said casing being provided With-a series of closely disposed'perforationsnear the base of said j usevstock, a rotary ca mounted in said stock and carrying the iliring mechanism, a handle secured to said ycap for supporting the bomb and for setting said fuse for the desired time interval, a 'trigger carried'by said handle for firing said fuse, and means for expelling said parachute and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminating-chamber, substantially as described. -v v` j 13. An illuminating aero-bomb .comprising a cylindrical caslng, a partition vblock dividing said casing into a chamber for the illuminating compound anda kparachutechamber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and' a parachute vin the other, -a cable connecting said parachute with Said partition block, a time fuse having its stock closing the end of said first-mentioned chamber, 'a rotary vcap -mounted in said vstock and carrying the ring mecha-l nism, a handle secured to said cap for supporting .the bomb and for setting said fuse for the desired time interval, a trigger carried by said handle for liring said fuse, and means for expelling said parachute, and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminating chamber, substantially as de:

. scribed.

14. An illuminating aero-bomb compris--v ing a cylindrical casing, a partition block dividing said casing intov a chamber for the" illuminating compound f and a parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a parachute in the other, a cable connecting` said parachute with said partitionv block, a time fuse having its stock closing the end of said first mentioned chamber, the said casing being provided yWith a series vof closely disposed perforations near the base of said fuse stock, .a rotary cap mounted in said stock and carrying the ring mechanism, a handle securedto Said cap for supporting the bomb and for setting said fuse yfor the desired time interval, a trigger carried by said handle for firing said fuse, and means for expelling said parachute and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminating chamber, substantially as described.

15. An illuminating aero-bomb comprising a casing, a partition block dividing said ^casing into a chamber for the illuminating compoundl and a parachute chamber, illumi-v nating material carried in one of said chambers and a parachute in the other, a

head carrying a time fuse closingthe end f of said first-mentioned chamber, means for detaching said head When the illuminating compound is ignited, and means controlled by said fuse for expelling said parachute and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminating chamber, substantially as described.

0 16. An. illuminating aero-bomb comprising a casing, a partition block dividingsaid.r

casing into a vchamber for the illuminating compound and a parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in onel of said chambers and a parachute in the other, a cable connecting said parachute to said partition block, a head carrying a time fuse closing the end of said nrst-mentioned chamber, means for detaching said head lwhen the illuminating compound is ignited, and means controlled by said-fuse forV expelling said parachute. and for igniting the illuminating compound in said illuminating chamber, substantially as described.

. 17. An illuminating aero-bomb comprisl.

ing a'cylindrical casing, a-partition block. dividing saidcasing into a chamber for ,the illuminating compound and a parachute chamber, illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a parachute in the.

,lio

one of said chambers, and a parachute in the other, a time fuse having its stock closing the end of said first-mentioned chamber, the

saidl casing being provided With a series ofI closely disposed perforations near the base yolf said fuse stock, a rotary cap mounted in said stock. and carrying the firing mecha-A nism, a handle secured to said capfor supporting the bomb and for setting said fuse for the desired time interval,- and a trigger carried by said handle 4for-liring Said fuse,

substantially as described. l 19. An illuminating aero-bomb comprising a cylindrical caslng, a partition block dividing said casing into a chamber for the illuminating compound land a parachute chamber,v illuminating material carried in one of said chambers and a parachute in the other,. a cable connecting said parachute with said partition block, a time :fuse having its stock closing the end of said firstmentioned chamber, a rotary cap mounted in said stock andY carrying the iringmechanism, a handle secured to said cap for supporting the bomb and for setting said fuse for the desired time interval, and a trigger carried by said handle for firing said fuse, substantially as described.

20. An illuminating aero-bomb comprising a cylindrical casing, a partition block dividing said casing into a chamber for the illuminating compound and a parachutel vided Withfa series of closely disposed perforations near the base olf said fuse stock, a

rotary cap mounted in said stock and carrying the firing mechanism, a handle secured to said cap for supporting the bomb and for 'Y setting said fuse for the desired time interval, and a trigger carried by said handle for firing said fuse, substantially as described.

SAMUEL WiLEY, JR. 

